Starting Over
by Dreami Bellezza
Summary: A new Outsider's Arrival...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters: Soda, Dally, Darry, Ponyboy, Two- Bit, Johnny, Steve, or any of the original greasers and Socs. They belong to S.E. Hinton. Also, the Marquin sisters, Heaven and Angel, belong to "Rockabye" and "Pixie Moon Angel". I also don't own Jade (Take a Picture). That's all, I think.  
  
***  
  
The girl woke up to a heated blast between her legs. She was awake but she didn't open her eyes, didn't stir. Instinct told her not to. She should have anyway... He was moving faster now, his body pressed closer on her. She hadn't felt him enter her, but she definitely felt him work inside of her. Still, she didn't dare let him know she knew. She tried her best not to let the tears flow. This was it, and although she wanted to fight it, it was hopeless. This was his farewell...He released inside of her once more before withdrawing his hardness. He rolled off of her, trying not to disturb her. Too late for that. He quickly got up and dressed. After doing so, he stood beside her bedside, looking down at her exposed body. It took every bit of her willpower not to say anything, not to reach out and pull him back on the bed, to start their love-making all over again. But she didn't...And he walked out after touching her cheek lightly...  
  
***  
  
Whisper Marie Romano stared outside at the pouring rain, listening to the soft hum of the pick-up. Her head was tilted on the headrest and her eyes were shut now, remembering. She was that girl, that fool, who let Dominic slip away that night. If only she'd said something, anything...No, that would have hurt even more... "Hey, you said the hospital, right lady?" Whisper raised her head again to look at the window she had just seconds before. "Yeah, thanks." She got out without looking at the driver, slamming the door hard. As she began to walk to the entrance, the vehicle roared off. She straightened out her nurse's uniform. She felt so awkward. She, who had not lifted a finger to work in the last five months, was going to a hospital to work surrounded by total strangers. She then felt the rain bearing down on her and ran inside. She looked around once in. People were rushing around everywhere. Whisper was completely lost. Being logical, she walked up to the front desk. She gave her best smile. "Hi, I'm Whisper Romano. Today is my first day of work and I'm not sure which floor I am stationed on..." 'Oh God, I sound like a total moron...' she thought hating herself. The woman at the desk looked up. What she saw shocked her. Standing in front of her was a pretty young woman who was drenching wet. Her eyes were a dark green color that went well with her extremely long dark brown hair. The secretary's first questions were on impulse. "How tall are you and how much do you weigh?" Whisper looked surprised and laughed softly. "Why, 5'7" and 110..." The secretary just laughed out loud and shook her head. "Second floor. Helen will guide you up there." Whisper smiled sincerely. "Thanks so much." She turned and headed towards the stairs. She heard the woman yell at her. "Good luck honey!" She turned around, and walking backwards, she smiled and waved.  
  
She felt afraid but anxious at the same time. She slowly walked towards the stairs, receiving many awkward glances. She tried to not think of the reason why. Reaching the foot of the stairs, she dashed up them. Once on the second floor, she again approached the reception desk. A pretty blonde was filling out forms. Her uniform pen read "Helen". Whisper cleared her throat, feeling it was best not to speak this time. Helen didn't look up. Instead, she gave out instructions. "Walk behind the desk and look up Darryl Curtis in our records. Find out the room number and go attend to him. Welcome to work." Whisper winced at the woman's harsh tone but did as she was told. Peeking inside the top of each C folder, she quickly found a Darryl Curtis, room number 149, second floor. She hurried off.  
  
When the new girl had gone, Helen threw her pen on the forms and rubbed her eyes, feeling extremely tired. Tami, another nurse, regarded her with surprise. "Gee, a bit ticked off, huh?" Helen smiled grimly. "Only when we get new people who won't stay more than a month." Tami frowned. "Why do you say that? Do you know her?" Her friend looked at her, shocked. "You mean you don't recognize her? That's Dominic Romano's girl. You know, the big- shot actor?" Tami took a moment to register this information. She remembered now. The girl was Whisper Marie.  
  
She kicked herself for not recognizing the Georgia native. But now she was even more perplexed. According to the paparazzi, Whisper was supposed to be in Los Angeles California with Dominic. He had just begun working on a new film, while she began a modeling career. Her being in a hospital made no sense whatsoever. Shrugging at Helen, she returned to her work, her mind in confusion. 


	2. Chapter 2

Whisper stood in the doorway of room 149, unable to force herself beyond it. She fought back the emotion to cry. 'This isn't right, this isn't fair,' she thought bitterly as her eyes continue to watch the man lying on the bed.  
He looked tall, even seeing him sideways. His skin was dark, as if he had a permanent tan. Dark brown, almost black hair which was cut short, gave him a mysterious appearance. From where she was standing, Whisper could only see the profile of his face, but she imagined the features were gentle in rest. This man was Darryl Curtis, not Dominic Romano.  
Once assuring herself of that, she stepped inside. She hated to disturbed his peaceful slumber but she was supposed to see if he needed assistance. Was she actually supposed to wake him up? 'This why girls like me belong in the kitchen and bedroom. I'm an idiot'. She hasn't meant to think such a thought. It was no surprise though. How was she supposed to feel without Dominic? He was the one that had kept her steady.  
He opened his eyes, revealing the color of blue-green. They were hard, cold. Swinging long legs over the side of the bed, Darry sat up, realizing for the first time he wasn't alone.  
"Good morning, Mr. Curtis." Whisper gave a bright smile, her voice sounding more pleasant than she felt.  
Darry shook his head, making sure his senses were okay. A beauty stood a few feet away from him. He took in her looks. Long, damp dark brown hair fell past her shoulders. Her eyes were a captivating green, standing out even with her dark skin. Her full lips were the shade of a newly blossomed red rose. Long tan legs were in view due to her short skirt. He noted they were well-toned, those of a runner.  
Lifting up his pillow, Darry began searching. Hopping off the bed, he looked under it. This startled Whisper, who had gotten lost in his eyes. He stood now, addressing her finally.  
"Where is it? Where's the camera?" His voice was chilling, but it didn't quite match the coldness in his eyes. Whisper looked at the man, baffled, taken aback from the violent vibrations she felt coming from him. What had she don't that was so wrong?  
"I'm sorry Mr. Curtis, I don't understand."  
"Of course you don't. I'm just a greaser, why should I care? 'Oh look, a decent looking hoodlum. Let's make a fiction movie about petty fights and unjustified hatred.' Sorry sweetheart, go back to Hollywood and tell them to shove it. I'm not here because I got beat up, I'm here 'cause I hurt myself fixing roofs, making an honest living. You know what that is, don't you?" Only now did she notice his impressive build, the result of hard labor.  
Again she fought her tears. So that was it. She'd been somebody once. She still was to the public. The tears flowed silently now, wetting her pretty face. Embarrassed, she turned to run. He caught her arm.  
"Oh no, you don't. Go running through this place screaming about how horrid is it to work with a no count hood. Trust me; I'm sure they're paying you enough. Dry your eyes. I'm leaving."  
He walked to the door quickly. She managed to find her voice. "Dominic was the actor. The only role I ever played was the pretty face." The soft southern tone made Darry pause and face her again. There, in her eyes, he saw grief, real grief. He chose his words slowly.  
"You don't belong here. This isn't the place for pretty faces." He turned and left the room. Instinct told her to follow. She always followed her instinct. Once catching up midway down the stairs, he began talking again, his tone now causal.  
"You don't belong beside me either. But Ponyboy is so fascinated by movies. You can talk to him I guess."  
Heads turned as Whisper Marie walked out into the rain with Darryl Curtis. 


	3. Chapter 3

The two of them raced towards Darry's Ford pick-up. Whisper was now trembling from the rain. Darry turned the heater on full blast and pulled out of the parking lot without speaking. Whisper was lost in her own thoughts, mainly concentrating on the job she had probably just blown. She promised herself she would no longer give into instinct, knowing damn well it was a promise she could not keep.  
"What's a California girl like you doing in a place like here," Darry asked as he looked straight ahead.  
"I needed a new start, a new life. All in all, I needed a way to forget." She watched to water trickle down the window, overwhelmed with sadness and hurt. Darry didn't have to look at her to know this. Her voice was her ultimate betrayer. His first reaction would have been to laugh, to call her a drama queen, but he wasn't Dallas Winston.  
He winced at the thought of her meeting Dallas. The others would be uncomfortable at first around her, he knew, but he wouldn't know Dally's reaction until he saw it. Something told him it would not be a warm one. 'That's the last thing this girl needs right now, rejection. What the hell am I doing? Ponyboy's supposed to be the one who doesn't use his head, not me.' Darry pushed these thoughts away, willing himself to believe things would work themselves out. He hoped, he prayed.  
"Who is Ponyboy anyway?" She was peering at him curiously now, he noticed from the corner of his eye. She had somehow managed to conceal her hurt for the time being.  
"He's my younger brother, a good kid for the most part. Then there's Sodapop, Soda for short. He's the happy-go-lucky one."  
"I could have guessed from the name. They both sound very unique. What about you, Darry? Which type are you?" It was the first time she had called him by his nickname. He liked the way it sounded in her southern accent. He thought a minute before giving her the answer.  
"I'm the realist." There was an edge to his voice as he said it, like it caused him pain. A moment went by as they each let the statement sink in. Now it was Darry's turn to ask questions.  
"You said my brothers sound unique based on their names. What about yours, Whisper?"  
She smiled; her tone gentle. "A lot of people have asked me that. I've learned to appreciate my name because of the meaning behind it. My parents were very young, but very much in love with each other. I was told by my father many times how passionate they were towards one another while making love," her eyes closed as she leaned her head back, "and every time they found other, he would never talk to my mother above a whisper. She named me in her last breathe."  
"And your father?" They were just pulling up to the house. 'The moment of truth,' Darry thought.  
"I lost him last year to cancer." He looked at her and gave a small smile. His eyes were still ice, untrusting. That was okay by Whisper, she didn't fully trust him either. After Dominic, how could she trust anyone anymore?  
"The guys and I lost ours in a car accident. You're not alone," he turned off the engine, "now brace yourself. You're about to meet the gang." They both got out at the same time, running up the steps and inside, Whisper following Darry.  
People were lounging all around. A young girl with blonde hair and turquoise eyes was the first to look in their direction, not seeing Whisper immediately.  
"Hey Darry, ya feelin'-" She stopped short as he stepped aside to reveal his companion. Everyone - Soda, Ponyboy, Angel, Heaven, Johnny, Jade, Two-Bit, Steve, and finally Dallas - saw both of them, two soaked people, one of them who would change their destiny forever. 


	4. Chapter 4

The group looked at each other first, then at the two standing in the entrance of the living room. Their shock was evident in their faces, none of them really knowing what to say. It was Dallas of course who broke the silent.  
"Hmm, it only took you a few hospital visits to realize there were broads around Superman. And he brings home a classy one, too." Dally, who had been leaning on the arm of the couch, was now walking in circles around Whisper, eyeing her up and down. She shifted uncomfortably. No one had dared done this when she was taken, protected.  
"Dal-" Darry didn't finish.  
"Chill out. I'm just looking, not touching." Dallas stood in front of her, holding his palms up as if surrendering. Whisper shivered due to a combination of fear and cold. A pretty blonde, a little older than the one who had first addressed Darry spoke up.  
"Dallas, my God, please, sit your ass down and shut up!" He gave the girl a disgusted look but did as requested. She now spoke to Whisper. "Hi Ms. Marie," she smiled warmly, "I'm Angel Marquin Cade." She then motioned around her, introducing the rest of the gang. Most nodded and looked away, except for Ponyboy, Heaven, and Johnny, too afraid that if they looked away she would disappear. She gave a dazzling smile to each of them, all except for Dallas. She couldn't bear the sight of him, although their acquaintance was no more than fifteen minutes long.  
"Do you want to borrow some clothes? I'm sure they're not what you're used to, but they would warmer than what you're wearing now." So spoke Heaven, very timidly.  
"Yes, Ms. Marquin, I would appreciate that very much. Thank you." Hugging herself, she followed Heaven out of the room, leaving Darry to spill all.  
"How did you wind up bringing her here?!" Ponyboy was close to yelling but not quite, yet.  
"I don't know Pony. I screamed at her first, thinking she was here for a movie or something, insulting us greasers."  
Johnny looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "You didn't, you-"  
"I'll be damned, you do have brains after all," Dallas said, grinning. Darry had him up in the air in less than a second. Johnny and Soda intervened. Reluctantly Darry set him down slowly, fury in his eyes. He spoke faster now. "She had this look in her eyes, like physical abuse would've hurt less. Then she says 'Dominic was the actor. The only role I ever played was the pretty face.' I couldn't leave her there, all emotionally screwed up."  
"But you don't believe her, do you, Darry?" Steve sounded amused.  
"No, but I am curious about why she's here. It doesn't mean I have to trust her." He looked at Ponyboy and Angel. "You two and Heaven find out what she's up to. I'm going to change." As he exited the room, Heaven and Whisper entered it. They were talking politely, stopping once surrounded by others.  
"Hey, girls like you ever eat," Two-Bit asked curiously. Whisper looked down at her stomach, blushing, realizing how little these people understood the way her life was before, shaped by Hollywood, her famous "friends", and most of all by her lover.  
"I think there's some chocolate cake still in the icebox, if you're hungry," Ponyboy offered. Dallas snickered.  
"She'll probably just throw it right back up. Don't waste good food."  
"No, I am not-"  
"Dally, just lay off okay? She isn't a Soc, there's no reason to hate her." Johnny spoke soft but quickly. Dallas glared at him and stormed out of the house, letting cold air from the rain inside. Whisper was thankful for the dry tight-fitting jeans and black t-shirt Heaven had lent her. Angel was seated on the couch, gesturing to her to sit. As she did so, Two- Bit and Darry, now changed, came back with cake for everyone. All of them sat eating in silence in for a few minutes. A thought stuck Whisper.  
"Y'all keep referring to yourselves as greasers and another group as Socs. What does it all mean?" Glances were thrown around the room. "What," she asked even more confused. Darry felt it was his responsibility to tell her. After all, he had brought her into their unfair world.  
"Johnny said you weren't a Soc, but by all means you should be. They're the kids from the West side, the ones with the fancy cars, good clothes - they get all the breaks. We're greasers, we fight to survive."  
"But fighting makes you stronger." She had stopped eating, trying to understand what Darry was telling her.  
"Maybe so. Why did you walk away Whisper? You had everything going for you," commented Heaven. This caught her a little off guard. She had not expected such a direct question. She thought about what she say, debating whether to be honest at this point. She decided the full truth in all its pain could wait. She simply said, "Sometimes having it all really means having nothing." They waited for her to continue but she concentrated on cake.  
'And sometimes having nothing really means having it all,' Darry thought with an uneasy feeling. 


	5. Chapter 5

"He seemed like a right good guy in the movies," Ponyboy said looking at Whisper sympathetically. She smiled up at him, remembering Darry saying how he was fascinated by movies. She felt forced to open up on the subject. What choice were they giving her?  
  
"Overall, Dominic could be a really good guy Pony, when he wanted to be. He's a much respected, talented actor. He seemed like a dedicated partner. That's what he wasn't. I can't fault him though. He had so many girls to chose from, I was nothing compared."  
Jade stared at the beautiful young woman. "You're fucking insane if you think he had a right to leave a girl like you!" Now everything was focused on Jade, for this was the first she'd spoken since Whisper's arrival. Soda tucked his arm around her, pulling her closer, his eyes on their guest. "She's right."  
"This is depressing. Sorry Ms. Marie, but," Steve looked out a window, "it's stopped raining. Your arrival has been quite a surprise, a pleasant surprise for all of us. I've been in this house with these crazies all day. And I definitely need a break. Please don't be offended."  
"Oh, no offense taken, I promise. Hold on." She set her plate down, making her way to the back bedroom. She came out with money in hand. "He always left spare cash around," she explained referring to her ex-lover, "why don't you all go see a movie or grab a bite to eat?"  
"Sounds like a good idea, especially for Pony and Soda. I've gotta work. It'll keep you two outta trouble," Darry was quick to say. He nodded at the group and left before anyone could protest.  
Two-bit rose, grinning. "I better go see if my old lady is still kickin'. Later." He stopped at the door and popped his head back in the living room. "Nice meetin' ya Ms. Marie." He was gone.  
Angel looked at Johnny. "Maybe we should use some of that money for groceries. We're pretty low." She looked at floor, embarrassed she had said it out loud. Whisper laughed softly as she divided the bills up and handed Angel half of them. She turned and gave Ponyboy the other.  
"I'll go with you three," Steve said as Pony, Soda, and Jade began to head for a movie.  
"Have fun, y'all. I'll stay here with Whisper. This place needs a good cleaning anyway," Heaven stated as she picked up plates, carrying them to the kitchen. Whisper followed suit as the rest of the gang left. She turned on the faucet, preparing to help clean.  
"No! You seem to have a lot on your mind. Go relax." Heaven attempted to take the dishes Whisper held but failed.  
"I don't relax well, Ms. Marquin. I'd feel better helping you." She smiled, grabbing a rag and scrubbing gently. Heaven shrugged helplessly.  
"Okay, fair enough I guess. But please, call me by my name. Being formal isn't something I'm used to. Sorry."  
"No problem Heaven. Do you like it here?"  
"Huh? Oh, you mean being a greaser? Yeah, it's okay. It's just sometimes I get sick of the fights, the hate, and the unfair ways. We're not bad people; we just weren't given the best roles in the movie of life, y'know?"  
Whisper laughed and shook her head before saying, "You can call life a movie. I used to call movies life. It's eerie."  
"Did you love him?" Both girls stopped washing, looking at one another.  
"I wanted to. I really, truly did. But you can't love someone you don't know." Her green eyes clouded over, remembering. Nothing more was said. For the next two hours, the girls worked in silence, making the house spotless. Once done, Whisper sat on the couch, her legs tucked under her body staring off into space. She sensed Heaven join her, watching her, studying her, unable to read her. She burst into sudden tears, her frame shaking violently. Heaven, confused with surprise, took the girl in her arms, soothing her.  
"Shhh. Shhh, who knows? He might be waiting for you to come back. Or better yet, maybe he's looking for you."  
Whisper pulled away. Wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, she laughed bitterly. "Yeah, really. If I go back, he'll dismiss me in a heartbeat, his new love laughing in my face. If he comes looking, it's for one reason and one reason only - something about me has given him a major hard-on." She knew what she had just said was true. Yes. She knew. But knowing it didn't mean she had to accept it. It was possible she'd never be able to cross that line.  
  
The gang walked in about three hours later. Night had fallen and they all seemed exhausted, especially Darry. Whisper was asleep on the couch and Heaven was just getting ready to retire for the evening. Darry stood watching her sleep, wondering what he'd done that made her a part of their lives.  
'I'll probably never really know, but I don't care. I'll never let her go; I'll never be able to now.'  
It was his last thought before he drifted off to sleep that night. 


End file.
